1 week

Just seven days from today, Barack Obama will become President of the United States.

Exciting!

There are a lot of feelings wrapped up in this transition.

So, in no particular order:
--I'm thrilled that we will have an educated and smart and composed individual in the White House. One that won't embarass us abroad and at home.
--I'm almost beside myself with happiness that we've finally broken through and elected a person of color to the white House.
--I'm just as thrilled that we again will have children in the White House. What a blessing.
--I'm thankful we have a Christian in the White House who doesn't have to wear his religion as a badge and keep reminding everyone of his Christianity. Christianity isn't a suit you wear, it is personal; simply, personal faith in God. If you have to keep reminding everyone, it's kind of like the person who says he's gonna tell a 'funny joke.' If you have to tell me it's funny, odd are it's not.
--Worry. Obama is inheriting one heck of a mess, economically, domestically, militarily and internationally. His predecessor left the country in the worst shape of my lifetime. Perhaps the worst shape in the history of this country. People are gonna expect immediate results. Yet it took 8 years for the Bush Administration to fuck it up to this degree.
--Fear. Fear that no one is up to the immediate task of bailing out our country. Obama has acknowledged it is going to take time. It's gonna take effort. But people are going to want immediate results. That likely is not possible. If he can't turn things around in a reasonable amount of time (and I'm praying constantly it can be turned around and people allow a reasonable amount of time) the country may not elect another person of color or a person of intelligence for another generation.
--Relief that the corrupt, criminal and failed Bush administration finally is gome.

Please. Say a prayer for Barack Obama and for our Country. We need it.

And so it goes.

Too bad

It's amazing,

There are folks (read Republicants) who already are declaring the Obama Administration a failure. And only 2 weeks before he actually takes office.

What took you folks so long?

And so it goes.

And dwelled among us...

Luke 2) In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.
3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David.
5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.
6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see--I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger."
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us."
16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.
19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.


And so it goes.

Whew ...

At this point, I thank God I no longer live in Illinois.

Finally. I got a break.

Now, a show of hands, how many Illinoisans are really surprised at Blago's fall? Thought so.

Although the blatant way he went about trying to sell the Senate seat is really over the top, even for Illinois politics.

Illinois political corruption is usually a bit more, uh, discrete.

Florida politics is none too clean, mind you.

But it sure ain't Illinois.

And so it goes.

Done and done

Been getting a kick out of all the protesters against the leasing of Alligator Alley to some foreign investors.

Not that I don't oppose the leasing,. It's a bad idea for Florida and Florida's taxpayers. Really really bad idea. Stupid.

It should never have been considered.

But what's amusing me is the protesters seem to believe that anyone in Tallahassee is listening.

The hearings are simply pro forma.

The leasing was a done deal long before it was made public. And long long before they started having hearings.

It's gonna happen. Perhaps it's already happened. They just haven't announced it yet.

Wouldn't surprise me in the least. (or leased?)

That's the way GOP politicians work.

Didn't you know that?

And so it goes.